Page 16 of The Catch

“I did. I was rushing to get to you, and I forgot to put sunscreen on.”

Cat shook her head at him, and the pinkish-gold shimmer on her eyelids sparked. “Are you always like this?”

“Like what?”

“It’s like you’re feeding me these perfect lines, but I get the feeling you’re just telling the truth.”

He leaned his elbows on the railing beside hers, letting their shoulders graze and their body heat mix. “I don’t have any lines. Dylan’s the smooth-talker, and Shawn is the funny one. I just say what I mean. There’s less confusion that way.”

“Being able to trust what someone says is worth a lot more than a suave delivery,” she simpered.

He got the feeling she was testing him with that, and he wished they could find a quieter place so he could whisper every truth he knew into her ear.

“You know, this is my first vacation in five years. If it wasn’t for Emma getting married, it might be another five.” He watched the ends of her ponytail flit on the breeze, her chest rise as she took another deep breath.

“Well, I’ll have to thank her then, for getting married and putting us on this same patch of sand.”

“You should. She also told me to give you a chance. Said you seemed like a nice guy.”

“And Dani introduced us. You’ve got good friends.”

Cat laughed with him at the group effort that was keeping them circling each other, but as if she’d caught herself spilling a secret, her smile quickly disappeared. “Really, though,” she continued, “I work a lot, and studying for the bar takes all of my focus. Doesn’t leave much time for other things. Vacations… dating.”

“I work a lot too,” he said, ignoring her obvious attempt at an excuse. She wouldn’t be out there with him if she wasn’t at least a little curious about the chemistry they seemed to have. “Owning a business is a ‘round the clock job.”

“So, you get it.”

“Sure. I just never found that work kept me from doing what I really want to. Truth is, I haven’t wanted much else lately… until now.” Now he was spilling his own secrets, but he couldn’t seem to stop. Not while she was looking at him like there was a chance she could be convinced. “I wasn’t going to stay this weekend,” he said. “After the conference. Dylan made me, called me a pain in the ass. He said he was tired of me being afraid to enjoy life a little.”

“I’m not afraid,” she shot back, firmly enough that he could tell he’d hit a nerve. She took a sip, then pointed her glass toward him. “You know, sometimes that little voice inside your head telling you not to do something is experience, or… or intuition. Sometimes you should listen to it before you listen to Emma—” She paused at her slip, her eyes going wide. “I mean Dylan.”

“Sure,” he said, wondering what exactly Emma had said that had her riled up. “Sometimes, though, it’s just… I don’t know. Comfortability. Stasis.” He shrugged. “In my case, anyway. I’m only talking about me.”

A little line formed on her brow, and she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. She was considering something, and he’d give anything to know what it was.

“Vacation and the real world aren’t the same,” she said quietly.

He brushed his thumb over her cheek and felt her temperature rise beneath his fingertips. “This feels pretty real to me, Cat.”

She covered his hand with hers, holding his palm to her cheek, and for all his confidence when he’d called her over here, he wasn’t ready for it. He stood there, letting her appraise him, her eyes narrowed and bouncing around his face while he tried to look earnest and worthy. When she tipped her chin ever so slightly, temptation stampeded through his veins. He wasn’t going to kiss her at this bar, though, to the soundtrack of club music blaring from inside, surrounded by a bunch of people getting sloshed and trying to get laid. He wasn’t a pro, but he had a little more game than that.

He forced himself to let her go, taking a sip of his drink to occupy his mouth.

Maybe he could convince her to go somewhere else, a walk on the boardwalk, or even just a quieter bar. He was trying to think of a way to ask without sounding like he was trying to take her home when Shawn’s voice sounded from behind him, booming across the balcony.

“Look who I found!” Shawn said, addressing the rest of the group following behind him, their foreheads all slick with sweat from time spent on the dance floor.

“Emma is going back to the room,” Dani announced.

“Why?” Cat turned to her friend, her brow pinched in concern.

Emma sipped from a cup of water, her face looking even more pale than usual. “I tried to make it, but I’m still paying for last night. Besides, we have a full morning, and I’m not going to be any good for it if I don’t get some sleep.”

“You know you’re getting old when your hangover lasts into the night, Em,” Dani said.

Emma yawned and waved her off. “Y’all stay out. I’m serious, I don’t want to see you back at that hotel room before you’re ready, but I have to sleep.”

“You can’t walk back by yourself,” Shawn said sternly. Captain O’Toole was already counting the four women as part of his ranks.

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